Man-power device



June 2 1925 E. c. WELBORN MAN ER DEVICE .Filed June' 2 1921 &

Y is centrala ana is. therefore,-balanced.

Patented June 23, 1925.

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EDGAR wnmsonmon nvANs'ro'N, rumors;

' MAN-POWER DEVICE. u

Application filed June25, 1921. "Serial 'Nc.f480, 33'0-.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that L-EDGARC. VVELBORN, a; citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the countyof Coolrand State" of Illinois have inventeda certain newand useful improvement in Man-Power "Device/s, of which the tollowing is a full, clear conrise, and exact description, reference-beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. My invention relates to powerv devices and, more particularlyyto'a manpower device; adapted to convert a reeiprocatorymotion into a continuous rotary motion. While I shall refer to cream separators and'like devices particularlv suitable-for being driven bymy invention; it will nevertheless be understood that my invention finds utility as a power device wherever light oow6rwork is desirable.'- I

The invention comprises a rocking pedal member connected with a rocking"handle bar which are so arrangedthat the reciprocatory motion ot-both is converted-into a continuous rotating niotion through themedium of a ratchet element.

The "operator mounts rthewpedal member" 211R. rocks the same as he p'uides himself by: the oot n handle bar. It is natnral,*'ot course. that the operator shall put' intoac-f tion :the mus'clesused in 'walkingyandas-aresult, his arms will be set into motioni The e'ii'ortneeded to" move the rocking pedalmember will "of necessity require balanciifrg eii'ort to -be exerted throuehrthe arms; The rocking; hahdle bar is thereby actuated; and the" combined reciprocatory movement of this handle bar and the pedal member is utilized to produce continuous rotary ;n'1o tion. 1

It is upon'ithis theory of ntilizing the. natural lllOiilOnS Of a human body in walls ing that I have basedz'myinvention; As aresult, a perfectly balanced motion'is ob-' tained; 'and 'also high rate oi etiiciency in n ior the energy'expendeds l amdaware that the -use ot a double ratchet is old. but'the device whichv I em plov has constructional features which are ilyadvantageous. The pull on therods, wi ich form the connection between the pedal member and handle bar; isisnbstan' t'ially centrally plac'ed 'with regard *tO the pawlsp in other words, the/pull on ,thepawls Y A further advantage ot the: particular cons \ Otheraims of my invention not hereint0- form of ratchet mechanism; which I employ,

is that there is no dead center upon which to.

stopbecause of its particular arrangement, and because of it being centrally disposed hetween the' rods. Hence, power can always he maintained within the are of eti eetive rotating eii'ort.

My invention aims to provide empower device which will possess a high rate of ei'li ciency tor the erlort required to operate it,

and which willbe of the simplest character tent with durability and strength.

tore set forthwill appear from the following detailed description in the claims, taken with; an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l' is a perspective view of them-an power device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a detail view of the ratchet employed in thisembodiment; V

Figure 3 is'a sectional view taken on line 3 3 0t Figure 2'; p

Figure 4 is a side View of a modified form 0t man power device, employing the ratchet atjthe pivotal point of thehandle bar;

Figure 5 is a top plan view otthe same Figure 6 is a detail View of the ratchet employed in this modification;

Figure 7 is a sectional detail view taken on'line 7-7 of Figure 6, illustrating the letthand pawl and ratchet;

Figure 8 is a sectional detail view taken online S-8 of Figure 6, illustrating the right hand pawl and ratchet; and

Fig-urea is a diagrannnatic illustration of a .n'ioditied manner of constructing the roeking'pedal member, so that parallel motion is obtained. Referring to the drawings, it Will be noted that the working parts are-suitably carried upon a base member 1 and 'a rigid vertical' i 'ran'ie- 2. This frame is designed to distribute" proportionally the working stresses, andalso to obtain a substantially -to' carry the shaft 11. what might be termed the power shaft, as

The frame 2 converges inwardly at its upper end and terminates in point where a bearing is provided to carry the pintle 6. Upon this pintle 6, the rocking handle bar 7 is pivotally mounted. The pivotal axis of the pedal member 5 is preferably in vertical alignment with that of the handle bar 7. The operators weight upon the platform will then be evenly distributed and balanced, which will result in a uniform exertion of effort by each limb.

A timed relation between the movement of the pedal member 5 and the movement of the handle bar 7 is obtained, by means of a connection having the ratchet element 8 inserted between its ends.

The frame 2 is provided with a transverse member 10, in which is provided a bearing The shaft 11 is the reciprocatory motion of the pedal member and handle bar is finally transmitted thereto in form of a continuous rotary motion. A suitable connection may be had with the shaft 11 at the side opposite to the operator, and this connection. may lead to any mechanism to be driven by the device. At one end of the power shaft 11, a ratchet gear 12, provided with an integral bearing sleeve 13, is mounted. The connection between this ratchet gear '12 and pedal members and handle bar is in form of three links, two of which connect to the pedal member at one side of the pivotal axis, and the other to the handle bar at the opposite side of its pivotal axis.

Two plates 14 are loosely mounted upon the sleeve 13 and interconnect at their outer end with a bifurcated link 15 by means of the bolt 16. Each plate 1st is preferably disposed on opposite sides of the ratchet gear 12 in order to carry a pawl 17 therebetween and also between the legs of the bifurcated link 15. This notably causes the pull on the link 15 to be centrally placed with respect to this pawl 17, which means that this pull is transferred to the pawl 17 centrally, resulting in a well balanced action.

Likewise, two similar plates 18 are mounted on the sleeve 13, but extend in opposite direction, connectingwith a bifurcated link 19 by means of a bolt 20. The connection with the pawl 21, in this instance, is substantially the same, the pull on the pawl 21 being also centrally placed. The links 15 and 19 converge toward each other at their lower end and connect to the pedal member 5 at a common point 22. As will be noted, this common point 22 is located at the right of the pivotal axis of the pedal member 2, and preferably in vertical alignment with the axis of the ratchet gear 12. The arrangement thus far described will permit of the ratchet gear 12 a one way rober.

tation, viz, a counterclockwise. This is obtained when the left foot brings the pedal member 5 downwardly at that end, thereby raising the common point 22 of the links 15 and 19. The links are free of each other with regard to movement; the link 15 will, at this movement, be raised sufficiently to swing the plates .14, about their axis in counterclockwise direction, resulting in the pawl 17 driving the ratchet gear 12. The magnitude of the are through which the pawl 17 will drive the ratchet gear 12 depends, of course, upon the distance of the common point 22 from the pivotal axis of the pedal member 5. The link 19 will be also raised, but the pawl 21 will not drive the ratchet gear 12.

In order to unite the action of the handle bar 7 with the action of the pedal member 5, a third link 23 is employed, which link connects to the handle bar 7 at a point distant from the pivotal axis of the bar equal to that of the links 15 and 19 at their lower end from the pivotal axis of the pedal mem- The opposite end of the link 23 conmeets with belt and, therefore cooperates with the link 19 in its movement. Of course, it is not necessary that the links 23 and links 15 and 19 connect at equal points from the pivotal axis of the handle bar 7 and pedal member, but I have found such arrangement to be preferable.

WVhen the weight is shifted to the left foot, the left hand is pulled upwardly to bring up that end of the handle bar 7. The left foot and left hand are working oppositely, which is the natural movement of the body in walking. Both of the links 15 and 19 are raised, but the link 15 will operate only to drive the ratchet gear 12, while the link 19 will cooperate with the link 23 in moving upwardly, the pawl 21 remaining idle. Reverse movement of the pedal platform 5 and handle bar 7 will reverse the action of the pawls 17 and 21. The pawl 17 will then be idle while the pawl 21 will drive.

In Figure 1, I have shown my device embodying a modified form of ratchet mechanism, which is known as the conical pinion and cone gear type. The pintle 6 extends to the opposite side of the frame, as shown in Figure 6, and carries a cone gear 25 rigidly fixed thereto. The vertical frame 2 is provided with laterally extending lugs 26, which serve as bearings for the drive shaft 2 1. Between the lugs 26 and at each end, the shaft carriesthe loosely mounted conical pinions 27 and 28. Carried on the outer faces of these pinions are the pawls 29 and 30, which are adapted to engage the ratchets 31 and 32 respectively. The ratchets are fixed to the shaft 24 and, as each conical pinion is rotated in the direction for permitting its respective pawl to drive, the

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ratchet thereby engaged will rotate the the latter having a fixed center at 41. The

link 4.2 which connects either with the ratchet mechanism or with the handle bar 7 connects at one side of the center 43 to the member 35. The opposite members forming this rectangular linkage will remain parallel to each other throughout the movement in order to permit the pedals 36 and 37 to oscillate in a horizontal plane. Each form of ratchet mechanism may be used with this form of pedal construction, and connected therewith in a manner similar to the embodiments heretofore described.

It will be apparent that the weight of the operator will be properly balanced upon-the pedal platform and that the handle bar 7 will afford a suitable support for the operators hands as he works his feet. The motions required of the operator will be substantially equivalent to that undergone in walking, thereby rendering the operation natural in so far as the efforts of the operator are concerned. T he mode of converting the reciprocatory motion produced is simple and expedient and obtains the advantages of a central pull on the pawls by the connecting rods, eliminating the possible occurrence of a dead center.

r I claim:

1. In a power device adapted to convert reciprocatory motion into rotary motion, a rigid base and a rigid frame, a rocking foot pedal on said base, a rocking handle bar on said frame, the'pivotal axes of said pedal and said bar being in alignment to permit balance operation of these two members, a connection between said pedal and said bar connecting at points on opposite sides of said pivotal axes, and a ratchetmechanism inserted in said connection for receiving the motion of said pedal and said bar and for converting the same into a continuous rotary motion.

2. In a power device adapted to convert reciprocatory motion into rotary motion, a rigid base and a rigid frame, a rocking foot pedal and a rocking handle bar carried thereby actuating jointly with respect to their movement, a power shaft carrying a ratchet thereon, a pair of connecting members connecting with said foot pedal in axial alignment with said ratchet at one end and with said ratchet at points diamet 'ically opposite at the other end, and pawls on the ratchet end of said connecting members, said pawls alternately driving said ratchet to produce continuous rotation of said power shaft.

3. In a man power device adaptedtobe operated by aperson standing upon the same, the combination of a frame, a lower rocking element pivoted to said frame, the ends of said rocking element constituting foot pedals, an upper rocking elementpivoted to said frame, the ends of said upper rocking element constituting hand grips, a motion transmitting connection between said rocking elements, and motion converting mechanism in said connection, said connection attaching to said rocking element on the opposite sidesof the respective axes of said rocking elements at substantially equidistant points from said axes.

l. In combination, a power shaft, a ratchet for driving the same, plates loosely mountedwith respect to said ratchet, pawls carried by said plates, connecting members leading from said pawls to a point lying substantially directly below the axis ofvsaid power shaft, a rocking element to which said connecting members are attached at said point, a second rocking element, and a connection between said rocking element and one of said pawls.

5. In a power generating device adapted for actuation by one man, the combination of a frame, a rocking member pivoted substantially centrally on said frame for a vertical rocking motion, the ends of said rocking member constituting two pedalsfor the two feet of one operator, the operator standing astride of the axis of said rocking member, a handle bar pivoted substantially centrally on said frame for a vertical rocking motion, the ends of said handle bar constituting hand grips for the two hands of the single operator, means connecting said rocking member with said handle bar for opposite oscillatory motion, whereby depression with the left foot is concurrent with an upward pulling of the left hand to utilize the weight of the single operator and his lifting strength, and means for transmitting the power generated by said rocking member and said handle bar.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 22nd day of June, 1921.

E. C. IVELBORN. 

